Diksha Sundriyal
Netflix’s ‘Maria’ follows the last days in the life of the legendary opera singer Maria Callas (Angelina Jolie). As she reflects on the ups and downs in her life, she tries to find her voice, not for the sake of performing again, but for herself. It is a lonesome journey, made lonelier by her health issues. People have come into her life and left her over the years, but there are two people who stay with her till the end. Her maid, Bruna, and her butler, Ferruccio, refuse to give up on her, no matter what. Like a lot of parts of Maria’s life, the movie gets this part right as well.
Bruna Lupoli Stayed Loyal to Maria Callas Till the End of Her Days
Hailing from Pedavena, Feltre in Italy, Bruna Lupoli moved to Milan to work for an upper-middle-class family. It was there that she came in contact with Giovanni Battista Meneghini, the then-husband of Maria Callas. This eventually brought Bruna in contact with Maria, and eventually, she ended up moving into Maria’s household to work for her, and there she remained till Maria breathed her last. It didn’t take long for Bruna to gain Maria’s confidence. While her official post remained a maid, she was much more than that for Maria. By the end, she was one of Maria’s two closest friends and confidants.
Little is known about Bruna’s life outside of Maria, but that is entirely by choice. Due to her proximity to the iconic figure, Bruna was approached several times to spill the beans on Maria’s life. Financial compensation was offered in return for her revelations, but Bruna rebuffed all of that. She consistently refused to talk about Maria and the many secrets she must have been privy to, given the years she spent with the singer. On the rare occasions that she talked about Maria, she always said something good about her employer, painting her softer and kinder side to the world, something that Callas was not given when she was alive.
Bruna passed away in 2017 at the age of 95. She took all of Maria’s secrets to her grave, which proves her undying dedication. Still, considering her proximity to Maria, especially in her final days, it would have been impossible to make a film on Maria without something from Bruna. Interestingly, the set designer for Pablo Larrain’s film used a Polaroid clicked by Bruna to create Maria’s bed, which was the first thing to be designed for the film.
Ferruccio Mezzadri Now Enjoys a Life of Privacy in Italy
Ferruccio Mezzadri was born in Monticelli d’Ongina, but moved around a lot. His first move was to Cortemaggiore and then, soon after, to Villanova sull’Arda. His early years were spent in military service, and when he left that, he found himself employed by Maria Callas. From 1958, he spent twenty years in her employ and became the only other person to be by her side until the end. His designation was Maria’s butler, but he wore several hats when it came to working for the opera singer.
In all these years and since Maria’s death, Ferruccio has remained entirely loyal to her. Over the years, he has spoken of the kindness and the love that Maria showed to him and Bruna. He revealed that one time, when they were in Milan, he asked Maria if he could visit his parents, who lived in the area. Instead of letting him go by himself, Maria joined him and met his family. Later, when Ferruccio’s mother passed away, Maria didn’t think twice before sending him back home to be with his family, only for him to discover that her condolences had reached his family first. It was this love and care that he and Bruna returned to Maria, as both of them refused to reveal her secrets, no matter what they were offered in return.
Following Maria’s death, Ferruccio continued to work with other families. He worked as a butler for Christina Onassis, the daughter of Aristotle Onassis. When he left her employ, he worked for Federico Benfer. After Benfer’s death, Ferruccio decided to retire and returned home to Villanova sull’Arda. Now touching 90s, Ferruccio prefers a solitary and quiet life. He still shows the same love and loyalty for Maria, which has prevented him from talking about her much. Eventually, however, he opened up to author Luigi Chini, who wrote a book in Italian titled, ‘Destiny Made Me Meet Maria Callas – Ferruccio Mezzadri Tells.’ Apart from this, a spoken monologue piece, titled ‘Maria Callas: The Black Pearl,’ told from the perspective of Ferruccio, has been performed several times. While he may have opened up to the world about Maria, he has kept his personal life completely out of the limelight and prefers it so.
Read More: Did Maria Callas Have Kids? Did She Have an Abortion or a Miscarriage?
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